Double enzyme mimetic activities of multifunctional Ag nanoparticle-decorated Co_(3)V_(2)O_(8)hollow hexagonal prismatic pencils for application in colorimetric sensors and disinfection

Since the catalytic activity of most nanozymes is still far lower than the corresponding natural enzymes,there is urgent need to discover novel highly efficient enzyme-like materials.In this work,Co_(3)V_(2)O_(8)with hollow hexagonal prismatic pencil structures were prepared as novel artificial enzyme mimics.They were then decorated by photo-depositing Ag nanoparticles(Ag NPs)on the surface to further improve its catalytic activities.The Ag NPs decorated Co_(3)V_(2)O_(8)(ACVPs)showed both excellent oxidase-and peroxidase-like catalytic activities.They can oxidize the colorless 3,3’,5,5’-tetramethylbenzidine rapidly to induce a blue change.The enhanced enzyme mimetic activities can be attributed to the surface plasma resonance(SPR)effect of Ag NPs as well as the synergistic catalytic effect between Ag NPs and Co_(3)V_(2)O_(8),accelerating electron transfer and promoting the catalytic process.ACVPs were applied in constructing a colorimetric sensor,validating the occurrence of the Fenton reaction,and disinfection,presenting favorable catalytic performance.The enzyme-like catalytic mechanism was studied,indicating the chief role of⋅O_(2)-radicals in the catalytic process.This work not only discovers a novel functional material with double enzyme mimetic activity but also provides a new insight into exploiting artificial enzyme mimics with highly efficient catalytic ability.

Performance Parameters:Demobilization Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria(ARB)and Carrying Genes(ARG)in Wastewater Disinfection

The UV irradiation is used for removing Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria(ARB)and Antibiotic Resistance Genes(ARG)from wastewater treatment.Bacteriophages are viruses that infect within bacteria,are recognized for bacterial control.The influence of some parameters in quantification and performance influencing of pathogen demobilization could be considered in disinfection of wastewater.The comparison of Polyvalent phage(NE1)versus Coliphage(NE4)in suppressing a bacterium Escherichia coli(NDM-1:b-lactam-resistant)with UV irradiation was observed the efficacy in reduction of cells in the disinfection and parameter process.The results with the effect of UV-C irradiation on NDM-1 infected with 1%of NE4 showed a decrease of cells from 8×10^(6)to 2×10^(5)in 60 min with UV-C dose.The NDM1(E.coli)was infected with 1%of NE4(Polyvalent Phage)under magnetic stirring for 1 h,the cells count was 8×10^(6).After 1 h in UV-C e×posure,the cells number reached 3×10^(5).The NDM1 that was e×posed in 1 h of UV-C irradiation and then was infected with 1%of NE4.Cells counting were done 24 h after this procedure.These cells were e×posed in UV-C and showed a reduction in the number of cells from 1×10^(8)to 4×10^(5)after 60 min.The results indicate that bacteriophages can mitigate bacteria species,and combined the conventional water disinfection technologies that can support the microbial safety control strategies.

Progress in Analytical Methods of Halogenated Disinfection By-Products

Ensuring the health and safety of drinking water is crucial for both nations and their citizens.Since the 20th century,the disinfection of drinking water,effectively controlling pathogens in water sources,has become one of the significant advances in public health.However,the disinfectants used in the process,such as chlorine and chlorine dioxide,react with natural organic matter in the water to produce disinfection by-products(DBPs).Most of these DBPs contain chlorine,and if the source water contains bromine or iodine,brominated or iodinated DBPs,collectively referred to as Halogenated disinfection byproducts(X-DBPs),are formed.Numerous studies have found that X-DBPs pose potential risks to human health and the environment,leading to widespread concern.Mass spectrometry has become an important means of discovering new types of X-DBPs.This paper focuses on the study of methods for analyzing X-DBPs in drinking water using mass spectrometry.

Evaluation of the Impact of Refined Quality Control Management Model on the Qualified Rate of Disinfection and Sterilization of Surgical Instruments in the Sterilization Supply Center

Objective:To evaluate the application value of a refined quality control management model for a sterilization supply center.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the work situation of the sterilization supply center from January 2021 to January 2023.The work situation before January 31,2022,was classified as the control group;a routine quality control management model was implemented,and the work situation after January 31,2022,was classified as the observation group.The quality of medical device management and department satisfaction between the two groups were compared.Results:The timely recovery and supply rate,classification and cleaning pass rate,disinfection pass rate,packaging pass rate,sterilization pass rate,and department satisfaction score in the observation group were all higher than those of the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Implementing a refined quality control management model in the sterilization supply center can improve the quality management level of medical devices and department satisfaction and is worthy of promotion.

Solar photocatalytic pathogenic disinfection:Fundamentals to state-of-the-art

It is necessary to treat pathogen-infected water before its utilisation.Of conventionally used treatment methods,solar photocatalysis has gained considerable momentum owing to its operational simplicity and capacity to use freely and abundantly available solar energy.This article systematically reviewed the disinfection of water with photocatalysis.It addressed the concerns of microbial infection of water and the fundamentals behind its treatment with photocatalysis.It presented an in-depth description of pathogenic deactivation with powerful reactive oxygen species.Special emphasis was given to process intensification as it is an attractive technique that provides multifunctionality and/or equipment miniaturisation.Solar reactor design regarding mobilised/immobilised photocatalysts and compound parabolic concentrators were elucidated.Finally,key parameters governing photoperformance,corresponding trade-offs,and the need for their optimisation were discussed.Overall,this article is a single point of reference for researchers,environmentalists,and industrialists who address the ever-severing challenge of providing clean water whilst also maintaining energy sustainability.

Effectiveness of Disinfection in Bacteriology Laboratories in Togo, 2021

Background: Laboratory personnel is at risk of biological contamination leading to laboratory-acquired infections (LAIs). The use of disinfection products is essential in the prevention of these infections. This work aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents used in disinfection in bacteriology laboratories in Togo. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from June to December 2021 in all bacteriology laboratories in Togo. Swabs taken before and after disinfection of surfaces and staff hands were immediately plated on agar media. Counting and identification of isolated colonies were done after 24 hours of incubation. The ANOVA test was used to compare calculated means, prevalence ratio (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to compare bacterial frequencies. Results: A total of 393 samples were taken, of which 41.2% were from hands. Before disinfection, surfaces were more contaminated than hands with respectively 40.4% and 29.6% (PR = 1.3;CI 95% = [0.9 - 1.9]). After surface disinfection with 0.5% of chlorine solution, bacterial elimination was total, but partial on hands washed with soap, with residual contamination of 3.7%. A total of 108 strains were isolated before disinfection of which Klebsiella spp. 38.9% and Staphylococcus spp. 25.0%;after disinfection 4 strains were isolated of which: Staphylococcus spp. 75.0% and Klebsiella spp. 25.0%. Conclusion: Surface disinfection was more effective than hand washing with soap and water. We recommend proper hand washing.

The Application Value of Sanitary Wipes and Medical Alcohol+Gauze Disinfection Method in the Management and Use of Medical Equipment

Objective:To analyze the effect of sanitary wipes and medical alcohol+gauze disinfection methods on the management and use of medical equipment in hospitals.Methods:From February 2023 to August 2023,80 anorectal surgery medical instruments and equipment were randomly sampled as observation samples,and they were grouped using the random number table method(40 instruments in each group).One group was managed with sanitary wipes and medical alcohol+gauze disinfection method(observation group),and the other group was managed with medical alcohol+gauze disinfection method(control group).The degree of contamination on the surface of instruments and equipment and the staff satisfaction of both groups was noted and compared.Results:After cleaning and disinfection,the relative luminescence luminosity(RLU)value of the surface contamination of the sample instruments and equipment decreased significantly(P<0.05);and after cleaning and disinfection,the relative luminescence luminosity(RLU)of the observation group’s instruments and equipment decreased significantly,and the value was lower than that of the control group,(P<0.05);the results of the nursing job satisfaction questionnaire showed that the scores of each survey item in the observation group were higher than those in the control group,(P<0.05).Conclusion:Integrating sanitary wipes and medical alcohol+gauze disinfection method into the management and use of medical equipment not only improves the disinfection of medical instruments but also improves the job satisfaction of nursing staff.Therefore,this method should be popularized.

Suspended particle effects on ClO_2/ultraviolet light combined disinfection of effluent

The concentration of suspended solids of effluent often varies in a wide range, therefore the dose of ultraviolet light （UV） in disinfection process needs to be adjusted to meet the disinfection criterion at a high frequency, and the desired disinfection effect is difficult to be ensured. The particles size and particle-associated fecal coliform （F.C.） contribution, and their influence on UV disinfection were investigated when ClO2 and UV combined disinfection process was used. The results showed that suspended solids content had a major impact on UV disinfection efficiency, especially the large particle size fraction. Particles （D〉10μm） associated F. C. were difficult to be disinfected and were the main part of the railings of F.C. inactivation curve. Pre-ClO2 oxidation could reduce the number of particles in effluent, and make large particles decrease to small ones. Therefore, the influence of particles on UV disinfection could be reduced after pre-ClO2 oxidation, and the resistance ability to particle loadings of combined process was enhanced. Moreover, the combined process has a lot of advantages, such as low toxicity, low operational/maintenance costs; it is also convenient to be established in the existing wastewater plant or the new planned one.

Prevalence and Disinfection of Bacteria Associated with Various Types of Wristbands

The potential role of personal items in the transmission of pathogens is poorly understood. In this study, we cultured bacteria of public health importance found on wristbands, determined whether there is a correlation between wristband material and prevalence, and tested three household disinfectants for efficacy in reducing bacteria on wristbands made of plastic, rubber, metal, and cloth, using standard microbiological assays. Total cultivable bacteria, Staphylococci, Enterobacteria (Escherichia coli), and Pseudomonas on 20 smartwatch wristbands were cultured from randomly recruited subjects. Nearly all wristbands (95%) were contaminated, with the highest average numbers of 3.46E+4 cfu/cm2 and 1.52E+4 cfu/cm2 on rubber and plastic bands respectively. Metallic gold and silver wristbands had zero to 18 cfu/cm2. While the high prevalence of Staphylococcus spp (85% of wristbands)—skin microbiota;was not unexpected, the occurrence of Pseudomonas spp (30%), and enteric bacteria (60%), even at relatively low numbers is of public health significance. Bacterial load on individual subjects varied remarkably with males and females harboring average total bacteria of 4.045 and 3.42 log10cfu/cm2 of wristband, respectively. The most important predictor of wristband bacteria load was the texture of wristband material and activity (hygiene) of the subject at sampling time. Potential pathogens—Staphylococcus aureus (8143 cfu/cm2) and Pseudomonas spp. (1126 cfu/cm2) were most abundant on cloth and rubber wristbands, respectively, while the presence of the E. coli group was associated with animal handling activity by a veterinarian. Lysol Disinfectant Spray and 70% Ethanol were highly effective regardless of wristband material with >99.99% kill rate and a log cfu/cm2 reduction of 3 - 4.0 and 3 - 4.5 respectively within 30 seconds. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) was not as potent. Only 2 - 3.5 log cfu/cm2 drop was obtained after 120 seconds of exposure. Further susceptibility assays with standard reference bacteria showed that Lysol and 70% alcohol effectively killed > 99.99% (>8 log CFU drop) of Escherichia coli strain 7001, Staphylococcus aureus strain 6538, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain 10662 within 30 seconds of contact. Vinegar had a similar efficacy on the gram negatives but little or no effect on Staph aureus (only a 2-log CFU/ml reduction in 5 minutes!) The high prevalence of potential pathogens, some of which could be reservoirs of antibiotic resistance reveals a weak link in infection control and underscores the need for regular cleaning of personal and hand-held accessories with adequate considerations of their texture.

Simultaneous Control of Microorganisms and Disinfection By-products by Sequential Chlorination

Objective To introduce a new sequential chlorination disinfection process in which short-term free chlorine and chloramine are sequentially added. Methods Pilot tests of this sequential chlorination were carried out in a drinking water plant. Results The sequential chlorination disinfection process had the same or better efficiency on microbe （including virus） inactivation compared with the free chlorine disinfection process. There seemed to be some synergetic disinfection effect between free chlorine and monochloramine because they attacked different targets. The sequential chlorination disinfection process resulted in 35.7%-77.0% TTHM formation and 36.6%-54.8% THAA5 formation less than the free chlorination process. The poorer the water quality was, the more advantage the sequential chlorination disinfection had over the free chlorination. Conclusion This process takes advantages of free chlorine＇s quick inactivation of microorganisms and chloramine＇s low disinfection by-product （DBP） yield and long-term residual effect, allowing simultaneous control of microbes and DBPs in an effective and economic way.

Design of Water Disinfection Scheme for Rural Drinking Water Safety Project

As further promotion of the rural drinking water safety project in whole country, small villages in vast countryside have been or will be equipped with safety drinking water project. We analyzed necessity of the rural drinking water disinfection, discussed disinfection method suitable for rural drinking water characteristics, and put forward disinfection schemes for different water supply sources.

Disinfection Kinetics and Contribution of Reactive Oxygen Species When Eliminating Bacteria with TiO_(2) Induced Photocatalysis

Titania (TiO2) induced photocatalysis has been widely investigated and applied as a disinfection strategy in many industrial and clinical applications. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), including hydroxyl radicals (&8226OH), superoxide radicals () and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), generated in the photocatalytic reaction process are considered to be the active components prompting the bactericidal effect. In the present work, the kinetics of photocatalytic inactivation of Staphylococcus epidermidis and specific contributions of &#8226OH, and H2O2 to the bactericidal process were studied using two disinfection settings sutilizing photocatalytic resin-TiO2 nanocomposite surfaces and suspended TiO2 nanoparticles, respectively. In antibacterial tests against S. epidermidis with a layer of bacterial suspension on the resin-TiO2 surfaces, H2O2 was found to be the most efficient ROS component contributing to the antibacterial effect. Disinfection kinetics showed a two-step behavior with an initial region having a lower disinfection rate followed by a higher rate region after 10 min of UV irradiation. By contrast, in antibacterial tests with suspended bacteria and photocatalytic TiO2 nanoparticles, &#8226OH and H2O2 showed equal significance in the bacterial inactivation having a typical Chick-Watson disinfection kinetics behavior with a steady disinfection rate. The results contribute to the understanding of the bactericidal mechanism and kinetics of photocatalytic disinfection that are essential for designing specific antibacterial applications of photocatalytic materials.

Characterization of dissolved organic matter fractions and its relationship with the disinfection by-product formation

Dissolved organic matter （DOM） has been identified as precursor for disinfection by-products （DBPs） formation during chlorination. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the characteristics of DOM influence the DBPs formation mechanism. A study was, therefore, initiated to investigate the effects of DOM fractions on DBPs formation mechanism. In the chlorination process, organic acids are dominant precursors of total thihalomethanes （TTHM） because of the vc-o and unsaturated structures. Furthermore, the TTHM formation of organic acids was affected by pH more greatly. Based on the fluorescence spectroscopy analysis, DOM fractions contained several fluorescence substances. During chlorination, humic acid-like substances were found to exhibit high chlorine reactivity and hydrophobic organics decomposed to smaller molecules faster than hydrophilic organics even at lower chlorine dosages. Unlike hydrophobic fractions, hydrophilic organics showed no toxicity following chlorination, suggesting that the toxic structures in hydrophihc organics showed high chlorine reactivity during chlorination.

Formation potentials of typical disinfection byproducts and changes of genotoxicity for chlorinated tertiary effluent pretreated by ozone

The effects of ozonation on the formation potential of typical disinfection byproducts （DBPs） and the changes of genotoxicity during post chlorination of tertiary effluent from a sewage treatment plant were investigated. Ozonation enhanced the yields of all detected chlorine DBPs except CHCI3. At a chlorine dose of 5 mg/L, the three brominated THMs and five HAAs increased, while chloroform decreased with the increase of ozone dose from 0 to 10 mg/L （ozone dose in consumption base）. At a chlorine dose of 10 mg/L, the two mixed bromochloro species THMs and two dominant HAAs （DCAA and TCAA） increased firstly and then decreased with the increase of ozone dose, with the turning point approximately occurring at an ozone dose of 5 mg/L. The genotoxicity detected using umu test, on the other hand, was removed from 7 Ixg 4-NQO/L to a negligible level by ozonation under an ozone dose of 5 mg/L. Chlorination could further remove the genotoxicity to some extent. It was found that SUVA （UV absorbance divided by DOC concentration） might be used as an indicative parameter for monitoring the removal of genotoxicity during the oxidation.

Prescreening teratogenic potential of chlorinated drinking water disinfection by-products by using Hydra regeneration assay

Practicability of method for the Hydra regeneration assay on the prescreening teratogenic potential of chlorinated drinking water disinfection by products was studied through both the assays of toxicity of adult Hydra (T) and inhibition of the growth of regeneration Hydra (I) by using chloroform, dichloromethane and chloroacetic acid. The results showed that T 50 / I 50 ratios of chloroform and chloroacetic acid were 2 77 and 6 16 respectively, with teratogenic potential. T 50 / I 50 ratio of dichloromethane was 1.69, with weaker teratogenic potential. These experimental results indicated preliminarily that the Hydra regeneration assay has certainly applied value as a prescreening assay for developmental toxicity.

pH effect on the formation of THM and HAA disinfection byproducts and potential control strategies for food processing

Chlorine-based sanitizers have seen wide spread use in food sanitation. The reaction of chlorine species with organic matter is a concern for two reasons. Available chlorine can be “used up” by organic compounds resulting in a lower amount of chlorine available for disinfection. Another concern is that some forms of chlorine can react with some organic compounds to form toxic halogenated disinfection byproducts（DBPs）. Many studies have been conducted to evaluate the role of hypochlorous acid（HOCl） and hypochlorite ion（OCl–） in the production of DBPs with a particular interest in the production of trihalomethanes（THMs） and haloacetic acids（HAAs）. Since most of the chlorine reactions are pH dependent, pH is found to have a significant effect on the formation of chlorine DBPs. In many cases, the concentration of THMs decreases and HAAs increases as pH decreases. pH also plays an important role in the determination of the type and amount of DBPs formed, with lower, more acidic, pHs resulting in the formation of less chloroform. This review summarizes the information from the literature on the role of chlorine-based sanitizers as affected by pH in the formation of different types of DBPs. Alternative novel strategies to minimize the formation of DBPs are also discussed.

Effects of Multiple Cleaning and Disinfection Interventions on Infectious Diseases in Children: A Group Randomized Trial in China

Objective To assess the effectiveness of multiple cleaning and disinfection interventions in the homes and kindergartens, in reducing gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses of children. Methods From October 2010 to September 2011, we performed a prospective, controlled study in China. 408 children under 5 years old were recruited and group randomized into intervention and control groups. Families and kindergartens in the intervention group were provided with antibacterial products for hand hygiene and surface cleaning or disinfection for one year. Each child＇s illness symptoms and sick leave were recorded every day. Results A total of 393 children completed the study, with similar baseline demographics in each of the 2 groups. Except for abdominal pain, the odds of symptoms （fever, cough and expectoration, runny nose and nasal congestion, diarrhea）, illness （acute respiratory illness and gastrointestinal illness）, and sick leave per person each month were significantly reduced by interventions. The rates of fever, diarrhea, acute respiratory illness, gastrointestinal illness and sick leave per person per year were significantly decreased as well. Conclusion Not only the acute respiratory children were significantly reduced by multiple and gastrointestinal illness but the sick leave rate in interventions.

Removal of disinfection by-products formation potential by biologically intensified process

The removal of disinfection by-products formation potential(DBPFP) in artificially intensified biological activated carbon(IBAC) process which is developed on the basis of traditional ozone granular activated carbon was evaluated. By IBAC removals of 31% and 68% for THMFP and HAAFP were obtained respectively. Under identical conditions, the removals of the same substances were 4% and 32% respectively only by the granular activated carbon(GAC) process. Compared with GAC, the high removal rates of the two formed potential substances were due to the increasing of bioactivity of the media and the synergistic capabilities of biological degradation cooperating with activated carbon adsorption of organic compounds. A clear linear correlation(R 2=0.9562 and R 2=0.9007) between DOC HAAFP removal rate and Empty Bed Contact Time(EBCT) of IBAC process was observed, while that between THMFP removal rate and EBCT of GAC was R 2=0.9782. In addition certain linear correlations between THMFP, HAAFP and UV 254 (R 2=0.855 and R 2=0.7702) were found for the treated water. For IBAC process there are also more advantages such as long backwashing cycle time, low backwashing intensity and prolonging activated carbon lifetime and so on.